New York versus Montana
by DAnNSfreak
Summary: ONESHOT. Danny and Lucy share some quality father-daughter bonding time on horseback in Montana.


Disclaimer: Danny and Lucy don't belong to me, nor anything else you may recognise here. Just borrowing them for my own entertainment.

So I've disappeared for quite awhile. But exam trials are finally over and it's Carmine Giovinazzo's birthday! Happy Birthday, Carmine!! Double celebration. :-) So here's a simple oneshot I wrote a short while ago. Enjoy.

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"Come on, dad!" the 11-year-old girl shouted happily, looking behind her as she egged her jet-black horse to go faster. Her light brown hair, which was tied in two plaits bounced up and down in the wind. Her sapphire blue eyes shone as she giggled at the sight of her father on his own horse right behind her, "Hurry up, dad!"

"Hold on there, Lucy," her father called out, "Let's give these horses a rest..." he slowed down the chestnut horse he was riding.

They pulled to a stop on the empty grassy path. They have been riding for miles and have yet to come across anyone. It seemed ironic that the only ones enjoying the countryside right now were two outsiders, born and raised in New York City. Right in front of them was a vast wheat field, the golden colour emphasised by the late afternoon Montana sun.

Lucy Messer smiled as her father guided his horse to stand side by side with hers, "It's beautiful, isn't it, dad?"

Danny Messer couldn't help but smile as a distant, pleasant memory stirred up in him, "What's so beautiful about it? It's just wheat."

His daughter rolled her eyes and Danny was struck by how much like her mother Lucy was becoming, "Daaaad..." she shook her head.

"I'm just kidding, kiddo," Danny laughed. "You're right. It is beautiful," he said as he cast his eyes over the seemingly endless area of pure gold.

They stayed silent for a moment then Lucy voiced thoughtfully, "I can't seem to decide though..."

"Decide what?"

"Which is more beautiful... this, or the view of Manhattan that we can see from Staten Island."

Danny suppressed a chuckle as he recalled the conversation that he and his wife had long before they had any idea about the future they were going to share together.

"_Some view, eh? Beats the wheat fields back in Montana, no?"_

"_Have you even ever seen a wheat field?"_

"_What's to see? It's just wheat."_

Lucy continued, "It's amazing, isn't it? How two things can be so different, and yet so similar... The country and the city... and I love them both."

"You're lucky that you get to experience both then, Lucy-Lu," Danny smiled, placing a hand gently on her head, tilting the cowboy hat she wore, a gift from Lucy's grandfather.

Lucy rubbed her own hand up and down her horse's neck, "I wish we could take Pilgrim home with us. So I can ride him everyday... not just during the summer holidays."

Pilgrim was one of the many horses the Monroes' owned on their ranch. Born around the time Lucy herself was born, the beautiful black horse was instantly a favourite of the young girl's. Every summer since Lucy was born, the little Messer family would set off for Bozeman and spend a week on the Monroe ranch. Lucy loved everything about the trip; the cows, chickens, her grandma's country cooking, the camping trip with her uncles, and of course, Pilgrim.

"Yeah, well... I imagine the landlord wouldn't be too happy if we have Pilgrim stomping around our apartment, Lucy. And Pilgrim will probably have a hard time fitting into the elevator."

The girl giggled, "Did you ever want a horse of your own when you were a kid, dad?"

Danny smirked, "I was raised a city boy, Lu. I spent more time begging your grandma for a skateboard, not a horse." Truth be told, Danny never imagined that there will be a day where he would be horseback-riding across the Bozeman countryside with his daughter. His first few attempts learning how to ride were a great source of hilarity to Lindsay and her three brothers. But for the sake of his daughter, who mastered riding at a surprisingly young age, he persisted and now he could handle a horse as well as Lindsay could. Almost...

Besides, there was no way that he was going to let his daughter bond with her Monroe uncles on horseback while he stayed home because he was too scared to get on a horse...

"So if you're a city boy, and mum's a country girl... what does that make me?" Lucy asked curiously.

Danny smiled, reaching over and giving his daughter a one-armed hug, "That makes you a very lucky girl who gets to enjoy two different worlds."

"Like grandma's mozzarella in New York and grandma's country-baked apple pie here in Montana?"

Danny laughed. Food. Definite proof Lucy is a Messer through and through.

"You're lucky, Lucy. I stayed in New York all my life. The furthest I ever went was Atlantic City... up til' I was like... thirty."

Lucy's blue eyes widened, "Really? You've never left New York? Why?"

"Didn't have any reason to leave... I was happy where I grew up. Had nowhere else I preferred to go."

"So where did you go, the first time you left?" Lucy asked.

"First time I jumped on a plane and left New York? I came here," Danny replied with a reminiscent smile.

"Montana? Why?"

"Well, you're mum left New York for awhile to come back here because she had some things to take care of. She was having a pretty hard time. So..."

"So you hopped on a plane and followed her here to help her out?" Lucy continued with glee.

"Yeah, something like that," Danny shrugged.

"Were you already dating back then?" Lucy asked.

Danny shook his head, "No we weren't. I uh, I came as a friend."

"But you left as more than that, right?" Lucy grinned a grin that was so much like Danny's own. The Messer trademark grin was no longer his own anymore.

Danny gave her a light, playful shove, "What are you, some kind of romantic sap now?" Lucy burst into a fit of giggles. "But yeah, to answer your question honey, yes. My first flight out of New York was the start of many things to come. You know what the best thing I ever got from doing that?" he lowered his voice seriously.

"What?" Lucy leaned closer.

"Your mum gave me the best present in the world."

"What was it?" she asked.

"You," Danny replied, tickling her. Lucy dissolved into laughter again. When she settled down, she said quietly, "Dad, when I'm older, I hope I'll find someone who is willing to fly across the country to help me out."

"Is that so?" Danny asked.

"Yeah. That means he's just like you. That means that he loves me as much as you love mummy. So I'd know I have found my true love," Lucy grinned.

Danny pretended to scowl, "Lucy Messer. Did I not tell you that you're not allowed to find your true love, or any other kind of love for that matter, until you're thirty? I'm the only guy in your life, you hear?"

Lucy smirked, "Race you back to the ranch, dad!" She pulled at the reigns and rode off.

Danny shook his head and muttered to himself, "Even if a guy does fly across the country for her, I'd be the first one he has to get past at the doorstep... We'll see how he likes that." He nudged his own horse around and sped off after his daughter.

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R & R? :-) Much appreciated.


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